The site is located at 27 Bushnell Hollow Road in Sprague, Connecticut. The site is the former Baltic Mills textile facility. On August 11, 1999, a fire burned out the interior, roof, doors and windows of the abandoned facility. The fire spread asbestos roofing material and asbestos pipe insulation to areas nearly 6 miles downwind from the site. Sampling of roofing and other material by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP), indicated presence of asbestos at concentrations as high as 60%. Based on the magnitude of the problem. CTDEP requested the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) assistance on August 11, 1999. EPA responded on August 12, 1999, initiating an emergency response action to collect asbestos and asbestos-containing debris from the surrounding community. Asbestos removal activities from the mill interior and the adjacent areas within the Site boundaries were put on hold because of the poor structural integrity of the 5-story mill walls. EPA completed the removal activities from the surrounding community in August, 1999. Approximately 125 cubic yards of asbestos containing material was collected and transported to an EPA-approved landfill. In October 1999, EPA New England submitted the site to the Remedial Action National Prioritization Panel in Washington, DC, to be considered for site-specific funding. In August 2000, the Panel authorized funding up to $2.3 million. In August 2000, EPA visited the site and observed that the granite/brick walls were in poor condition with fragments and flakes falling to the ground. Pipe insulation and other material suspected to contain asbestos within the site boundaries and in the burned mill were also observed. Because the roof and all the windows and doors were missing, the threat of release of the friable asbestos to adjacent areas and other receptors existed. Based on the visual investigation, the EPA On-Scene Coordinator prepared an Action Memorandum (AM) for a removal action to remove the asbestos containing material from within the site boundaries.

A short term cleanup (REMOVAL) at the site was started on 9/29/00 and completed on 5/29/01.
A short term cleanup (REMOVAL) at the site was started on 8/12/99 and completed on 8/27/99.

EPA sampled the burned debris for asbestos from in and around the site for off-site disposal; repaired any and all gaps in the fence for site security and installed new fence where needed; evaluated the condition of the site buildings; demolished the main facility building and a portion of the other building originally part of the Baltic Mill facility in order to collect and remove the asbestos and other contaminated burned debris for off site disposal. During the debris clearing, a 550 gallon above-ground storage tank (AST) was discovered. The AST and its contents were removed so the debris clearing could continue.

Wastes removed from the site included: 1,777 cubic yards of asbestos containing debris for landfill; 2,127 tons of friable asbestos material for landfill; and 110 gallons of alkaline liquids for wastewater treatment.Photos